And that’s a nice way to put it. I initially was going to call it “a gasoline tanker jack-knifing into a Black Cats factory.” But that may be a slight exaggeration.

We all know about the state’s consistent bungling of ISTEP and any replacement standardized test. Then there are teacher shortages, a problematic school grading system and a law limiting the collective bargaining powers of teacher unions.

And now we find out the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. is suing about 500 families over paltry textbook, netbook and lunch fees.

Many parents who landed in small claims saw their bill multiply thanks to court costs making it even harder for them to pay and the school corporation to collect its money. One woman I talked to, who asked to remain anonymous, said she paid $600 for a $275 bill because the corporation sent the notices to an old address and never attempted to contact her any other way.

At the same time, EVSC has attempted to work with families by setting up payment plans.

It’s easy to leap on EVSC after a story like that. After all, it doesn’t make them look good. But the true villain is the state system that allowed it to happen. And while the problem is complicated, a partial solution is simple.

Stop charging families for textbooks.

Indiana is one of only eight states that does. In grades K-5 in the EVSC, fees ranged from $76 to $95.50 back in 2015. That may not seem like much to some families, but for others, $95 is a lot of money. In places like Hamilton County, fees can swell to $150 per elementary student.

Change the property tax cap law

The 2008 legislation said schools could only collect extra property tax cash if voters approved the move through a local ballot referendum.

That ain’t happening, and in cash-strapped Evansville, it probably shouldn’t. What the state could do, however, is nix a rule within the law that says property taxes given to schools can only fund non-classroom spending.

Just do it already

The above proposals could help us get closer to the goal but wouldn’t put us over the top.

However, Indiana is in a strong fiscal position, and there are plenty of folks a lot smarter than me who could whip up a solution in no time.

The ol’ political argument is that Indiana built its financial security through careful spending, but god knows we waste plenty of money. Our highest-paid public employee is Archie Miller, and good lord, did you see that Fort Wayne game the other night?

And this is far from a waste. After decades – centuries — of politicians professing their deep concern for children and families, it would be nice to see them do something to ease those families’ burdens.